Back Together Again
by AliasEM
Summary: Series 8, episode one. Now living in England, Xander is heart broken with Anya's loss, so he attempts to resurrect her, but when they meet the mysterious new magic shop owner, thinks start to spiral out of control. Anya returns but something is wrong, a new villain emerges to taunt the gangs new found happiness and bringing along side it, a dark shadow from the past.
1. The only way home

**Chapter one**

Buffy the vampire slayer...Series 8

_**Lightning crashed towards the cemetery, slicing the air like a knife, eventually stumbling over the dead soil, Buffy found herself trapped between two familiar statues. One was an angel holding a ring, which was engraved with the symbol of light, the other statue was a lost man, holding what Buffy believed to be a soul which was imprisoned in a golden heart, covered in blood. The desire to run away from the sudden crash of thunder was almost unbearable, but there was a stinging pain crawling up Buffy's body from her waist. Each time the pain reached closer upwards, it sent out what felt like an electric shock, mingling in every vain of Buffy's stomach. Just as Buffy was about to give up completely, reality descended over her in a blanket of confusion, doubt and heart break...**_

It didn't take long to get from Sunnydale to Bath. Even though no one was against the idea of living with Giles, no one knew exactually what they were doing there, after all – they had just saved the world.

It was quite messy for his standards, but once you had chance for a detailed look around you could just make out the dusty abused covers of old English books. So far, only Willow had managed to unpack and make herself at home, the others were still very shocked by their ordeal. For Willow the experience of saving the world just by enhancing great powers of pure, blessed magic had basically been a blast for her, unfortunately not so great for her friends. Buffy could only gaze upon the lonely eyes of her sister – Dawn, and even that was a struggle. Although Xander had the courage to give a smile there and then, deep inside you could see his pain and deep sorrow for his now passed away lover, Anya. Giles, being a simple man had simply kept his emotions cut short too a calm, casual smile as though nothing had happened. No one had the courage to speak, at least not until they were all assembled inside Gile's front room. "Shall I sort out your rooms or shall you be ok by yourselves?" Giles had bravely asked, but just as calm and kind as he always had. The atmosphere could have been cut with a knife, not one person had acknowledged the thought of settling down for the night. Buffy was sat upright in the far corner on the clearly abandoned armchair, it was as if she was waiting for something, Xander had realised this and did the one thing he does best – compromise. "Of course we can manage that, but just in case, does anyone need help?" Xander glared around the room meeting briefly with each pair of eyes in turn, waiting for a response.

Dawn was clearly confused; she'd always done what her older sister Buffy had told her, well almost. Now she could only wonder whether Buffy was even up to giving anyone orders. Willow waved a comb through her red hair and quickly ventured towards the bottom of the stairs, Xander had only just managed to catch up with her, "willow, we should talk..." He suggested while gently taking her arm and leading her to the new dining room of Giles small apartment. Xander hadn't been sure of what he was going to say exactually, but somehow his unspoken words were stolen from his mouth by Willow who knew perfectly what he was thinking, "I'm worried about them, I'm worried about us. I'm not sure how long it's going to take to get back to normal, especially for -" she was cut off by the sudden appearance of a shadowed body waiting in the hall way. "Buffy?"

Xander wondered into the blackness, stumbling around for the light switch. All it tuck was two words from the stranger to solve the problem regarding the sudden coal blanket being thrown upon them. "Power cut," it was Buffy who was standing in the hallway – she was staring out the condensed window towards the orange pastel smudge of a street lamp across the road. "What perfect timing," She remarked. Xander could just make out the concern of Willow's expression and the look of regret. Spike: they were all worried about how Buffy's coping with Spike's death. Xander couldn't understand why Buffy had ever taken comfort in him, but she had and that's the only reason he had repelled from harming him or at least making some sly comment on his death – no, he would never understand what she felt for him, but then again; neither would she.

Once again the atmosphere had become dry, Buffy was insisting on ignoring human comfort and continuing to gaze at the street lamp. With a glance of disappointment Xander and Willow adventured upstairs to embark on the nightime. Buffy was left immerged in darkness. Suddenly a beam of golden light beamed from the front room; lighting up the hallway. The light was slowly followed by the short sigh of an ex-librarian. "It's getting late, is Dawn in bed?" Giles wondered over to her side, once he saw what she was so intrigued by, he became puzzled. "Are you ok? This may seem strange at first but you'll get used to it, it's what you've always wanted isn't it?" Giles quizzed her due to his sudden concern, "I think Dawn is upstairs already actually, I think we'll have to take a look at your injury at the hospital tomorrow, but then we have the rest of the day for some well deserved rest" He suggested. Buffy had been stabbed right in the middle of the battle, no one understands quite how Buffy had managed to continue, but she had. Buffy had always wanted a normal life instead of a childhood full of fighting demons, vampires, monsters and sometimes her closest friends. Swiftly swaying from side to side in the breeze, the palm plant by the front door was dipped in a pool of torchlight which all of a sudden disappeared into the darkness, the batteries had given up. "Guess that's me done" was all the slayer could say before she strode up the stairs to follow her friends.

***

**Chapter two**


	2. Resurrection

**Chapter two - Resurrection**

The tapping was coming from the corner of the empty room – where Dawn was sat. Blood was rushing up and down Xander's thumbs as he pressed them against the wall; the tapping was making him insane.

"WILL YOU STOP – that!?" He began with a shout but refrained to a gentle instruction as he saw the reaction from Dawn's face. Straight after his short outburst, Buffy swiftly walked into the room, lifted up a magazine and strode out the door again, causing her to retrace her steps due to being surprised at the strange scene in the living room. Sitting upright on the grumpy sofa was a shocked but deeply concerned brunette: she was staring across the room at the other strange figure.

"Xander? Are you ok?" Buffy asked with a reassuring smile, Buffy has been quite warm hearted lately – everyone had noticed.

"Sorry, I was just asking Dawn something: I think I may have shocked her a bit" replied Xander already returning back to his normal self. Each morning since the whole save-the-world-and-end-up-at-Giles-house-in-_England_ thing, everyone seems to have started to actually be happy for a change: apart from Xander.

As bubbles rose from the deep iron casket, the dark figures were pacing up and down waiting for the witch too arrive. Master of resurrection and the transformation of demon too person, she was amongst the most powerful throughout the entire world. She was best known for her perfect resurrection spells which: unless interrupted always went perfectly, correctly taking a free soul and replacing it back to its original body.

"All arrangements are going to plan, yeah?" asked the witch whilst her followers finally came into the light and revealed their torn up faces. The followers had been sent to the witch in order for her to 'fix' them. They'd been torn out of hell whilst being the subjects of a faulty spell performed by witches of clearly no experience. Resurrection spells aren't easy; they have to be perfected and practised before performed, The Followers were the victim's of unpractised resurrections and now are left to serve the witch so she will one day resurrect them properly.

"Answer me then!" she ordered with a glare that was too crude to be anywhere close to human, each Follower shrank back into the shadows giving a clear suggestion towards the only Follower left in the light. His face (if you can call it that) was facing the dirt brown cobbles on the floor, his hands were clanging together like a pair of symbols crashing a knew tone of fear.

"You must be new, no one else has ever had the bravery to actually volunteer. You can have a one way ticket to resurrection for that my brave little Follower" implied the cruel, dark mistress of evil. Struggling to know what to do, The Follower crept towards her holding the plans to her daring arrangement. The witch hobbled towards him and immediately pulled the skin white paper away from him and began to shred every little scrap. In the small amount of two seconds: the Follower was no where too be seen.

"Buffy, are you up?" shouted Dawn from down the stairs. Scrunched up clothes were hung over the wooden banister, the sound of rushing water was diffusing from the cream door of the shower. "BUFFY!" screamed Dawn. She stomped round the house looking for her older sister: fury all over her face. Calmly walking down the stairs, Buffy entered the kitchen and attacked the fridge. Giles has been having a lot of difficulty shopping for everyone lately, they were only just getting used to England food.

"You never seize too amaze me, never keeping your promises, always too tied up in your own little world" explained Dawn. She was leaning against the door frame of the kitchen looking up and down at the **teal** towel wrapped around Buffy's slim figure, she'd already piled a ton of food from the fridge.

"I'm sorry Dawn, I got up late – that's all it is" Buffy explained to Dawn with a hope she'd forgive her. Slowly dripping over the side of the sink, a blob of chocolate sauce from last night was creating a small puddle on the floor. Buffy and Dawn were staring at the puddle, it seemed more interesting than the conversation between them.

"I'm sorry, we'll go shopping another day I promise"

"_When? You'll just forget again like always_" Dawn argued.

"I won't, maybe there's still time to go now?"

"_Stop that! There's no time and YES you will forget!"_

Just as Buffy was about to argue back, someone gave a little cough, enough to make them stop arguing and pay attention to the now awake red haired witch standing in their door way – it was Willow. Previously, Willow's gay friend Kennedy had been forced to leave Sunnydale (because of the fact that it was swallowed up by the hellmouth) and travel back home, she promised Willow she'd visit immediately – she hasn't even been in touch. Fair, red hair was flowing by her broad shoulders; she'd had it cut quite recently.

"_Are you two arguing again? You really shouldn't you know, it's not right – your family after all_" she stated. Buffy pulled the towel closer around her shoulders; she looked upset and very ashamed. With a childish grunt Dawn left the kitchen muttering something under her breath.

"_You don't look very well Buffy, are you feeling alright_?" asked Willow.

Buffy looked straight at the floor, her damp wavy blonde hair flopped over her shoulders. "You know, I don't think I am"


	3. Disappearances

**Chapter Three - Disappearences**

The radio was playing at full blast, striking everyone who got in between the car and the pathment. Xander's sleek black hair was flapping in the wind; it was only just long enough.

_Stupid arguments, why'd they have to be up so early? Well at least no one will know I'm missing._

"Where's Xander? I think he's run off somewhere..._"_ Wondered Dawn as she paced up and down the hallway. Constantly washing his glasses; Giles was beginning to get seriously worried, along with Willow who was more worried about Dawn.

"Shouldn't you be at school? You're not skiving are you?" She quizzed. School in England was just another completely different aspect of their new life; Dawn wasn't very keen on the fact she'd have to wear a _uniform_.

"How could I when Buffy's so up my back?!" Dawn stated, with a small flare of annoyance and anger. Lately, Buffy had been slightly 'over protective' with Dawn – she didn't want any of the past events affecting her like it will affect Buffy forever.

"Hey! That is so not true, get your uniform on and get off to school, don't you worry about Xander – he's an adult now remember" Replied Buffy, she was starting to get a fever but she was desperate to see Dawn before she left. Buffy was slightly offended by Dawn's attitude _– why is she so ungrateful? I'm helping her. Aren't I?_

"Whatever" She moaned and stomped up the stairs, she was wearing her school skirt and tights but still her pyjama top. Once she'd reached her bedroom, Buffy and Willow's reassuring smiles vanished, replaced by an extremely worried expression directed towards Giles: he knew all too well what they were thinking.

Xander's silver car was already parked outside the nearest café. Smoke from the back room was diffusing towards Xander's table in the far corner: right in front of the window. Each waitress was dressed in a tight 60's uniform, they were at the counter arguing over which one would serve him. After 5 minutes one of the girls steadily approached Xander with a shiny, red notepad.

"Are you ordering anything?" she asked with a sweet Scottish accent. The waitress was starting to get bored yet she'd only been standing in Xander's presence for a mere 2 minutes. Cautiously he scratched his ear and answered the young girl,

"_No, I'm just here to clear my head_"

"Well, if you need any help with that – here's my number" she offered.

Normally, the waitress would start a fuss and most likely throw the customer out, but not this time. When the girls were arguing earlier, they were actually fighting over who would be _lucky_ enough to serve him, not _unlucky_ enough. Clearly Xander's luck was changing.

"No thanks, I'm meeting someone soon" Explained Xander. Straight away the waitress's eyebrows rose- almost too the roof, she wasn't pleased. Xander tried to look forgivable, but the waitress wasn't having any of it, the red, shiny notepad slammed down onto the table.

"Fine! I wasn't really interested anyway, who'd want to meet you!" She lied. Xander gave a slight chuckle

"_My ex-fiancé of course_"

Every piece of Willow's computer equipment was spaced out across the dining room table which Willow had insisted on making her own. After a large discussion, Dawn had finally gone to school leaving Giles to try and calm Willow down: she was freaking out about Xander's where abouts.

"He's fine; he'll be relaxing in his car somewhere. He is an adult: he can look after himself" Giles explained although it was clearly making no change to Willow's concern: her mind was made up.

"You know how much he's been missing Anya!" She argued.

"He's more than capable: he's been coping for a while now"

"She's only been dead for 3 weeks, he loved her even when she was an evil demon, how can he just forget his feelings and move on within such little time!"

"You know...I think your right"

"What?" Willow replied shocked.

Giles had been easily persuaded – this can't be good.

"He maybe an adult, but that doesn't mean he won't make any stupid decisions, lets go" They quickly made their way out the door, holding a map and some ancient purple dust: the perfect recipe for a location spell.


	4. You've got to have Faith

**Chapter Four - You've got to have Faith**

Raindrops fell across the condensed window glass, they were gathering in a small puddle at the bottom, changing colour and speed as they travelled. Murky, bunged up clouds started to descend over the sleeping slayer - she'd been feeling 'under the weather' lately. Cotton and silk fabrics were rubbing against her burning cheeks, making her feel just comfortable enough to relax into a soothing sleep.

Meanwhile, every shade of autumn leaf had managed to make it's own way past the strong winds and swirled by the young teenager - Dawn. She was sat in the local neat little park on a shining white picnic table. Her long, caramel straight hair was swerving around her pale skin, she was eyeing the strangely familiar figure by the ice cream van. Hair was short and neatly cut, her body was slim and covered by some patched up leather trousers and a dark jacket. Cautiously, Dawn reached into her school blazer pocket and pulled out a small compact camera. As she raised her arm to take a snapshot she was grabbed by a strong palm disallowing her to move…

Buffy peeked at the clock : it was midday. Gently, she forced her aching arms to push her out of bed and roughly into the armchair beside her - she didn't have enough energy to travel down to the kitchen just yet.

_What's happening to me? I've never been this tired before - and that was still when I was saving the world and being bruised almost everyday…_

Strangely enough, the first thing the un-active slayer noticed was the silence, the emptiness. Everyone had been settled in the house quite well, even though it had only been a mere 3 weeks since they'd arrived here - they were all coping. She knew where Dawn was (school), but where was Willow and Giles? Surely, Willow knowing of Buffy's illness : _she would have rung?_

"_Buffy's phone is off, hope she's ok : shall I try again?_" wondered Willow aloud. Soon, the sun's bright fluorescent light would be taken over by the moonlight and a lot of teenage girls will be roaming the streets, but that didn't put Giles and Willow off.

"Are you sure? That she's ill I mean, she seemed fine to me…" Giles asked. Simply for Giles sake, Buffy had been keeping her illness a secret: She's sure it's nothing to worry about. Willow's location spell had worked fine, they were on their way to find him and see exactually what's wrong.

"_Yes, she was burning up again, and besides she didn't want to worry you and - is that Dawn?!" _

Across the road from Giles newly cleaned car, Dawn was sat with Xander and, was it?

"Faith!" Shouted Giles, obviously thinking of her as a threat. Straight away all three arose from their picnic table and began to run towards a monstrous oak tree at the opposite side of the park, this left Giles to just simply stand there with his mouth gaped open - very British.

Just as confused as Giles, Willow had a moment to stand and gaze but she knew they'd most likely be up to something that wasn't good to be mixed up in : after all, Willow and Giles are the two most sensible of the whole Scooby gang.

"Xander! Dawn!" Screamed Willow, her voice sounded like a final farewell: leaving Giles in even more confusion.

Unfortunately, they couldn't catch up with the runaways so, knowing that Dawn would be ok with a slayer and Xander to look after her - they had gradually wondered back 'home'.

The house presented itself like ransacked shack in the middle of nowhere, the door was wide open, the curtains ripped down and most importantly: the £100 coffee table was snapped in half in the space where the HD TV _used_ to live. Without a moments thought - Willow stomped up the stairway to Buffy's bedroom.

"_Giles! Come quickly_!" She shouted. Without any moment to examine his home any further he grabbed the phone (very good in situations) and ran too the rescue.

"Goodness…" was all he could say.


	5. Unconscious

**Chapter Five - Evalder**

Calm, summer waters could be heard from someone's back garden, it was all starting to remind Faith of her childhood. Faith had come to England as soon as she heard that Buffy was there - she was like a baby eagle to her nest. Neither Xander or Dawn were sure why they had ended up in a strange alley way, but faith wasn't willing to tell them until they were out of everyone's way. Earlier, back at the picnic table faith had told them about her journey to England, which was shortly followed by Xander's explanation about how the waitress knew faith and had willingly given her where abouts away.

"_Ok, so she was an old friend: no big_" She'd explained.

Rapidly, the leaves were being strongly pushed from their branches. Faith swivelled her foot to turn round and face Xander and Dawn.

"You were sent to me so I could lead you to Evalder right? This isn't some joke is it?" she questioned. All this excitement was still a complete mystery to Dawn; no one had bothered to explain any of it - this was starting to seem clear to her.

"_Who's Evalder? Why aren't you telling me anything!?" _

Xander gave Dawn a look of acknowledgement and simply whispered straight into faith's ear.

"so, you haven't told 'lil' titch a dam thing, that would make me quite annoyed" Replied faith.

As soon as she'd said it, a ticking bomb inside Dawn's chest basically exploded, she wasn't going to accept not being told a thing yet still being dragged around by Xander _and_ being insulted by _**faith**_.

"XANDER, WHAT IS GOING ON!" Squealed dawn: she could not go any louder. She was stood there waiting for him to explain or at least inform her on her role in all this, but instead all she saw was Faith's bruised knuckles: then blackout.

Even though he'd seen this kind of thing before; Gules just couldn't take his eyes away from it, Buffy was lied on the floor unconscious. As soon as Giles had seen her feet through the doorway; he knew there was no need to panic. She was completely still, as solid as a chunk of concrete held firmly together by two extremely heavy weights: except that probably wouldn't hold Buffy for long, and it didn't.

"_Buffy! Your alive_!" Over reaction from Willow: something else Giles was commonly used too. Straight after she heard the soothing sensation of Willow's voice, she sat up staring towards the ceiling.

"What happened?" She wondered aloud. This made both Giles and Willow start to actually think about the situation a little more seriously, _what if she had concussion? _

"I don't actually remember a struggle or fainting or-" Before she carried on, she remembered something quite important, even though she'd been in the house the whole time: Buffy was starting to get memories of something coming from the door…

"A witch, long dark purple robe, curly deep black hair and a strange staff saying 'Evalder' on it. Ring any bells?" She recalled.

Of course, Giles headed straight for the books and Willow- straight for witch craft. She was still careful about dark magic and had specifically set herself the challenge not to try anything that involved it apart from in a serious emergency, her passed away ex-lover Tara had warned Willow before: her warning is still embedded inside her mind; she was doing this for Tara's sake more than her own.

"_I could find a tracing spell…" _She suggested.

"What would that do? Nothing dangerous I hope" Buffy implied while struggling to get to her feet.

"_I promise, for all our sake_" Reassured Willow, helping her to stand up. With a slight smile and a flick of her luscious blonde hair, Buffy agreed and gently sat on the bed trying to catch up in her mind what had happened…

Xander hadn't exactually planned on working with Faith, but seeing as she seemed to be the only one who knew how to get to this strange witch then it must be the only way of getting Anya back. He wasn't really prepared or sure what he'd have to do in all this but he wanted Dawn to be with him in case anything would happen which would leave Anya to be welcomed back into the world without anyone to explain. Although, Dawn had now been unconscious for a small while, leaving Xander to stare at her eyes hoping they'd open any moment while they waited at the entrance to some dingy little cave. _Why do witches never just live in a house_? It'd be much more discreet. Slowly but surely, the eye lids of the sleeping teenager raised, she gave a short yawn and then glared at the gleaming sun pouring it's bright light directly into her glistening eyes.

"Xander?" she asked the open air. He carefully placed her standing up on the smooth flattened pathment. Her feet wobbled at first as she struggled to stand up right, but she suddenly got the hang of standing again and realised why the heck she was staring into the unwelcoming mouth of an crumbling cave.

"Don't tell me, Faith finally decided to show us her 'home'" She stated sarcastically. Faith clearly wasn't impressed by her sly comment, she strode straight inside the cave and called behind her :

"Doesn't bother me whether she comes or not"

For a moment Dawn just stared at Xander's worried expression, this helped her to figure out that Xander was actually serious : he was going to resurrect Anya from _hell_. Dawn wasn't as great as Buffy or Faith at punching, but she'd never really got a chance to actually test her best punch on someone- she figured now would be the perfect solution.


	6. Evalder

**Chapter Six - Evalder**

_**Authors note : **__I hope you enjoy this chapter, there's not long before the end! Please review so I can decide whether to do the second episode for series 8 - I have it all planned out…_

Witches can go down two different paths: one, of course is the light and simple road to the amazement of magic and mystery, leading to a long pleasant life full of the enjoyment of power. But, whenever there is a right path, there has to be a left, _left _as in : neglected, worn down, empty and forgotten. Although it seems empty, thousands of witches each day end up there. Most witches unfortunately end up _**abusing**_their power and being forced and roughly shoved down the bumpy conclusion of the strange _left_ path. Everyone knows how Willow obviously got lost a couple of years ago and ended up finding her feet down the narrow path towards the evil senses of magic: which of course proofs you can be pulled out of it again, but Willow certainly wasn't herself and certainly no one will be able too forget the dark shadow of her evil side. Yes, evil witches are amongst one of the most dangerous mystical creatures…

Strawberry fragments of hair were covering parts of Willow's face, but she could still see the hidden object in the doctors palm. For a doctor, he looked quite, well, dumb. His shirt was a bright pink, it was just simply flapping about under his tight crimson blazer: also flapping about due to the lack of buttons. Funnily enough, judging by his expression; it was as though he was positive no one could see it, but Willow could see the slight unmistakable twinkle of an dark purple orb. _What'd he need that for?_

"I will only take a short while, I shall just check her status then report back to you and then I'll be off, but please, next time call another doctor: I've never been very comfortable dealing with young women since about a year ago." He explained. About a year ago, when every potential slayer was given the boost of slayer power like a giant needle injecting each little girl: some needed it, others didn't, maybe that was why. They'd rung the doctor just to make sure Buffy was alright, it wasn't very normal to pass out from a cold after all. As he slivered up the stairs, Giles gave a gentle smile to Willow and relaxed across the garden green sofa, he didn't seem to have noticed the orb at all.

"Giles, what would you do if you saw a scruffy looking doctor walk towards Buffy's room holding a purple orb?" She asked him, in complete calmness so not to panic him.

"_Depends, what are purple orb's used for_?"

"Well, I'm not sure. But they're not normally used in honest spells"

Giles raised his eyebrows whilst slowly clambering to his feet. A sweet, yet innocent smile spread over her face, she was tired of seeing Giles worry.

"Willow, _that_ doctor was scruffy. _That_ doctor was holding something. _That_ doctor has just headed up towards Buffy's bedroom. Are you _implying_ something by any chance?" He replied.

Obviously, because she wasn't a slayer or particularly strong, Dawn's angry punch hadn't caused Xander any pain but had made him realise how he'd been frequently mistreating her: making him finally explain everything.

"I'm so sorry, I'm just so lost without her, as soon as I noticed she was gone I couldn't breath: Andrew didn't even have the guts to tell me what happened. I can't even begin to know how she felt- dying alone, but we were just starting up again and I can never forgive myself for not making that clear with her, for telling how I feel about her and how I'll always feel about her: she never knew for sure which meant she ended up going to hell not knowing - I NEED her to know, I NEED her by my side."

All Dawn could do was stand and stare. Tears were trying to break their way through, she tried to fight them off but eventually - the tears won.

"Don't cry! I need you to be here in case I can't welcome her myself, she mustn't be alone. Do you understand? Will you help me Dawn?" He begged, but so kindly and persuasively. She was stuck in his trance of sadness and love, she had to help him.

"_Yes, I'll help you, but we really should tell Buffy first_" She agreed while forcing back tears from where they came. Carefully, Xander took her hand and lead her deeper into the cave. Blistering cold winds swirled around the steel walls- hitting against two giant ice gates, each with the word 'Evalder' encrypted along the steel black frame, where Faith was standing.

"Finally, thought you were gonna be persuaded against it by the soppy teenager." she commented. Dawn just raised her eyebrows with a cheeky grin, Xander was still clearly on her side, he knocked on the gates while keeping an eye on Faith.

"Hello?" He called too the open air. Even though the challenge they were about to take could be dangerous: for Anya as much as them, Faith looked pretty much- bored. At that moment, A dark shadowy creature fumbled to the gate, nodding at acknowledgement to Xander. Dawn's slim body was shaking at a horrendous speed. _What is she? _


	7. Cave of many spells

**Chapter seven - Cave of many secrets**

Although Willow had practically flew up the stairs, she was too late to see the doctor at work - by the time she reached the shadowed bedroom, the doctor had already cleared the scene. Somehow Buffy had managed to sit up on the bed with a magazine and a mug of sweet honey and almond coffee.

"What'd he do?" Willow asked, surprised.

"_Not sure, I was kind of asleep apparently"_

"So, he cured you while you were asleep and then just… ran off?_"_

"_well, yes. Sounds a bit too unusual to me, but as long as I don't have anymore of those wacky dreams" _

"Wacky dreams? Buffy you know what your dreams can mean_"_

"_well, it was nothing more than something about a dark cave which Xander, Dawn and Faith went into and… I'm not so sure after that, its starting to fade"_

As she put her coffee on her bedside, Willow escaped to the kitchen for a heart to heart chat with Giles- who was flicking through an ancient book on curses and spells. She strode in, grabbed the book off him and stared at him, face to face.

"_Hello to you too Willow, is Buffy all right?_" he remarked.

"She's fine- for now. What do you know about a dark cave?"

Carefully: Xander, Dawn and Faith followed the strange thing deeper and deeper into the raging ancient cave's jaw. All the monsters they'd fought before could not compare to the fear building up inside Dawn's stomach, like a group of wasps gathering in their bee hive for that final sting. Slowly, the blood circulation in Xander's hand was reducing due to the obscene pressure of Dawn's hand gripping his palm.

"It's alright Dawn, she'll come back perfectly, Faith told me about a numerous amount of friends of hers that have been successfully resurrected- all by Evalder. Hopefully, I won't even need you, you'll just get to watch and see Anya again first." He was keen on making Dawn as comfortable with the situation as he could. Listening beneath the rough cobbles, a noise which sounded like bubbling arose. Suddenly, the shadowed figure spun around and gestured towards another ice gate.

Faith's eyebrows rolled as she strode straight through the gate and nodded to Xander, assuring him it was ok to enter. _Here we go_, he muttered under his breath. At that precise moment, Dawn realised what the bubbling noise actually was- a large, scraped pot was emerged in the uneven ground releasing swollen bubbles of a gooey orange mixture. Shocking as the shadowed creature that lead them to the entrance was, not even that could be called horrid stood next too the cloaked torn up bodies- dead or alive, spread all over the floor.

"_So… You weren't joking when you said you'd be back_"

The voice had no owner, it was perfectly projected around the room- must be magic. Soon as she heard the voice; Faith sighed and started to look un-easy.

"You know me, why would I break my promise. But I'm not alone, I have a friend who needs a favour from you" she explained. A wave of silky purple fabric flapped from over the horizon of the caves un even floor, shortly followed by the perfect hips of a tall, tanned woman. Crackling lightning was spitting crazily from her lengthy fingers. Gradually, she got closer towards Faith until she was standing strangely near.

"_So, what's his name?_" she asked- she was completely ignoring the existence of Xander and Dawn. Just the presence of the witch, made Faith's lips tremble- they weren't treading on safe ground anymore. Xander bravely walked up to Faith and opened his mouth to introduce himself but the torn up bodies rapidly rushed towards him- in the space of 30 seconds they had him in a tight hold so he couldn't move any further. Noticing the sudden excitement, Faith stepped away from the witch and worriedly stared at her so called friend.

Dawn was surrounded by some of the torn up bodies, just in case she was to follow him, the witch seemed almost bored with the excitement- she slowly paced herself near Xander's upset face and glared solemnly into his heart: his soul.

"You are the one who has come here so willingly just to bother me with another stupid time wasting resurrection, someone called 'Anya Jenkins' who I believe isn't even in heaven - I pay extra for people from hell ya know" She stated. You could argue that it was easier talking to an evil person when they spoke like an average teenager although with added humour and sarcasm, but if it ends up like Glory's story ended, then you can argue that it's actually not.

By the end of an average day, Giles's modern blood red car becomes dirty and incredibly in need of a refuel - seeing as his notorious car has been seen frequently driving along the long countryside of England, there was no chance Willow and Giles could take the easy option this time. Using Willow's magic and Giles sense of direction; they carefully made their way to the placid cave.

Unbelievably tight, steel handcuff's squeezed around Xander's blood shot wrists: attaching him to the crumbling wall. Looking to the left side of him was almost like a mirror image - except it was Dawn which was strangled against the bumpy fragmented cave.

A crackling laugh was booming from the gaping mouth of Evalder, she was stood strangely with her hands stretched out towards the steel pot from which green smoke was arriving.

Her eyes frequently changing colour, she looked even worst than Willow when she was messing with dark forces. Scars were embedding themselves in the deep thick blood which was pouring out of her at great speed. If it wasn't for the fact that they didn't know the witch well, they would most likely be seriously concerned…


	8. Vengeance is sweet

**Chapter eight - Vengeance is sweet…**

Masses of heavy orange mists carried themselves in favour of the witch, swishing, swirling and whooshing gracefully around her being, it was starting to get serious. As soon as the ritual began, the hostage's swollen mouths were pasted together by some unknown spell forbidding them to interrupt. Although they were being treated like unworthy scraps of metal flown in by the wind, each person knew that if the ritual was interrupted then Anya would come back from hell 'wrong' - depending on your definition of 'wrong' of course. She died three weeks ago defending the earth, but due to her evil vengeance demon days, all the savage murders: there was no doubt that she'd been to hell- for her, probably a great deal longer. Angel's return from a hell of torture left him pretty much an animal, and even though Buffy had been snatched by the golden skies of heaven, even she came back with a lot of broken memories.

Fear had now turned into something almost like excitement, love, the chains gripping onto the hidden walls didn't seem as tight or strenuous. Suddenly, ripping through the reality of this world, a large gulp of the green bubbles formed a powerful current of a swirling circle in the air: a portal. A portal of which Anya's recovered body was now seeping through, the edges of the circle were clashing inwards looking brittle and un safe - they weren't going to last long.

_**Outside..**_

"I don't believe it!" The astonished librarian stared at the cave, his expression a shade of many colours.

"_You know this cave? Who lives here Giles! Are they in trouble…_" Willow questioned, the fear of pain being inflicted on any of her innocent friends was starting to wash over her - this was all way more serious then they had once thought.

"Evalder, a witch. Her name means 'bringer of death, bringer of-"

He stopped as he stood open mouthed, he'd realised why Xander had strode in there in the very beginning.

"- resurrection" He continued.

Forces of unseen evil were gushing their spindling fingers into Evalder's chest, the shrieks of pure agony splattered from her bleeding lips. All this just to do a favour for someone she doesn't know…

Each tensed finger lurched out towards the portal, now revealing the outline of Anya's graceful hips, it was all becoming too near to over for Xander, the desperation to take Anya home was pushing him closer to the finish line: possibly too soon. Dawn's eyes could have burst out of there sockets with amazement, she was glad she hadn't had the chance to watch Buffy crawl from her distant heaven if this is the solution.

Breathing was becoming a great difficulty for the witch, The follower's had to restrain her from falling to the swallowing ground with exhaustion. Rippling sparks of deep, deep indigo made there way shooting out the portal, whizzing in her direction but not quite close enough, each spark conjuring the existence of Anya into a reality. Her blonde wavy hair began to flap with the force of the currents from the strange circle around her, her small feet wrinkled there way through the breaking point. On the day she died; when they saved the world she was wearing a short crimson shirt, a navy blue short jacket and some ordinary black skinny jeans: exactually what she was wearing now.

Anya's body would have been accidentally buried under collapsed buildings and tons of dust, Each detail was exactually the same as before apart from a numerous amount of deep bloody scars and huge chunks of dust. The portal was closing in on her, uncontrollably trapping her: the witch looked like she couldn't stop it.

Suddenly, a crack stroke through the cave ceiling, the witch gave out a shriek which if had managed to get any higher only cats and dogs would have been able to hear it, Giles and willow broke through the pale ice gate staring straight into the portal. Even though Anya was fully out of the circling purple mess, once it disappeared she screamed in pain and immediately fell to the floor unconscious. The portals disappearance also effected the witch, she was pushed to the ground, banging her head on a nearby boulder.

"Anya!" Xander shouted, he suddenly slipped free of the obviously loosened handcuffs. Dawn gave a puppy eyed glance towards willow who quickly aided to her escape. Giles had noticed Faith and out of the kindness in his heart he rushed to her side to break the shackles of the witch.

"Anya, are you ok? ANYA!" - Xander tried to get a response, this wasn't suppose to happen, surely ?


	9. Interruptions

**Chapter nine - Interruptions **

_Anya was stood bravely hanging on to the chains squeezed around her, right now, they were the greatest things ever invented. One wrong move and she was devoured by the gaping hole placed directly under her feet: one slip. She knew why she wasn't in earth reality anymore, but she couldn't quite understand why'd she's in hell. 'Buffy when to heaven, and it's not as if she's never killed anyone innocent, according to the others she basically killed faith without a moments thought plus what about all the vampires? It's not there fault they're man eating beats' she was thinking a lot lately. Each thought only lasted a minute, it wasn't possible to think while being tortured- I suppose you knew that though. Suddenly her feet lost touch with the uneven ground, the trusty chains suddenly lost grip and helped her fall slowly down, down, down._

_She was the best and most suitable witch for the job - her resurrection spells have always worked, always worked, always. Except if they were interrupted…_

"My head!" Faith moaned, a painful blast of sound had drummed through the cave. Everyone was crowded in the middle, peering over Anya: she was a terribly pale colour.

"_perhaps she's just tired" _suggested willow; always the sensitive one. As Xander rocked her gently in his arms, each and every pair of eyes were pinned towards her colourless face, atleast that's what you'd think.

Dawn was the first to remember the battered witch who'd been so kind as to bring Anya back in the first place, even though she couldn't be trusted.

Slowly creeping towards the ignorant back of the present slayer, a small crack of a twig or small pebble broke out and reached her ears just in time for her to turn around and stop the witch in her tracks. Firmly, Faith gripped the skinny neck attaching Evalder's head to her shoulders, she resisted squeezing - for now.

Evalder's fingers certainly contained some unknown spark of evil energy, the dark electrifying currents spitting from her dirty nails gave the message clear. Faith's first reaction was mockery, she gave a childish 'come and try' sort of look, but realising what certain witches can do, a rush of fear was waved over her like a weak duckling being washed away by the sure mass of the tide. She abruptly let go of her neck and stepped back- knocking Anya's arm.

"Watch it!" Cried the croaking voice of the exhausted witch, she held out her hand to suggest the acceptance of her to touch her. Xander carefully backed off and allowed her to briefly examine the resurrected X-vengeance demon. Slowly, she washed her hand over the lifeless body, her hand gradually turning a shady red. As the red colour became noticed she gave a long sigh.

"She's ok for now, I did say NO interruptions, that was the most agonising resurrection I've ever done.." she trailed off before stated the obvious fact that _something_ went wrong. Tears had already fought there way down the rough path of Xander's cheeks, he'd been more desperate than anyone.

"_what's that mean? Is she… wrong_?" Steadily fighting back an army of the tears from forcing the speech from his mouth, he'd managed to say the words on everyone's lips. Evalder raised her head in shock, her eyes wide and distant.

"The more barriers I must 'break' to pull her from the distant dimension, the more painful it is, she was stuck somewhere deep, plus the interruption, which could have, well, knocked her as she was scraping through one of the barriers.." she explained. Willow's head nodded in understanding, clearly judging by everyone's faces, willow was alone in her small bubble of understanding.

"_Buffy, was stuck in quite deep, she had to 'crawl' through about five barriers, the snake, the cuts, the god has to test you to see if your capable of carefully taking the special person from a tight spot_." Willow's explanation was a little more clear for the others to understand. Xander eyes were swelling up, he needed to get home soon, willow understood his pain, she took him by the arm and gently strode him away from the earful sight. He'd be ok, wouldn't he.

Buffy was feeling a great deal better until she saw the ghostly figure on Gile's sofa: Anya was finally home. As Buffy stared around the room gathering information from it, she figured out that Dawn hadn't actually been to school today, there was no time surely.

"Dawn, you haven't been to school today have you?" She asked. Dawn's face was in shock, not because Buffy had found out, but because that's first thing she seemed to notice.

"_Hello, Anya lying ALIVE in the freaking living room, and your worried about me not going to school_?!"

"I kind of noticed she was alive, its what you guys have been up to all day isn't it? But dawn, if you don't go to school then they'll take you off me and send you right back to America with Dad who frankly couldn't give a freaking toe nail about us" She explained, it was starting to seem clear to Xander what she was doing.

"yeah, Buffy's right. Next time, you better go to school young lady and because of you not going and all, you'd better get too your room" He helped her out in the hope that Dawn would go to bed, they didn't want her to be in the room listening too the conversation they were about to have…


	10. Conceqeunces

_**Chapter Ten - consequences **_

_Stalking the worn out floor boards, Buffy paced the rough lining of the trampled rug. Every light bulb in the entire house had shattered and powered down for the duration - another power cut due to rain. Every glance was accidentally plunged towards the lifeless; still body, which had finally ended up on the very sofa, which Buffy had sat just this morning. _

"_She looks kind of ill," Buffy stated. Xander was very quickly ready to offend Anya, even when she was dead; he'd still made sure no one said a word against her: which of course, no one did. _

"_She's just cold, she's warming up now though and-" _There was defiantly something banging his insides to be said, but he had deliberately kept it un noticed. Eyebrow's raised; Buffy knew straight away there was a lot that was needed to be said.

"Was I cold when I was resurrected? Was I unconscious?" She questioned. Xander was mystified, he wasn't sure how to answer her question, or even whether he was supposed to answer. No one had been quite brave enough to talk fully to Buffy about her resurrection. Suddenly, the sound of swift movement was conjured from the front door; Evalder had dissolved in the middle of the doorframe.

"**No, I wouldn't think you were, but you are forgetting the one most important fact**" She spoke smoothly with a voice too calm to cause disruption. Buffy, Xander and Giles were completely trapped by the voice that the sudden break in hadn't run past them yet. However, Willow was smarter than that.

"You can't just break in here like this! She's using a spell, I should know" Willow was furious with the cheek of the newly acquainted witch.

"**Such envy, only the 'blondey' can throw me out**"

Buffy was melted; she could have wiped the floor clean with whatever was now cooling over her brain. However, with one shake from Willow, Evalder gave up: she was not welcome.

"That's it, who the hell are you?! How dare you storm in my house and mess with my mind like that!" Buffy's fury was just enough to mask the mistake she'd made, it was no longer _her_ house anymore - it was Giles. Straight away, Evalder was clear to get Buffy's discomfort out in the open.

"_**You**_** went to heaven, **_**she**_** went to hell. The afterlife was fantastic for you, the only thing you had to get over was the fact your so called friends had brought you back, she has to get used to being sat down for longer than 6 seconds without being dragged to her feet and painfully tortured." **Atleast Xander had tried not to make it sound so dreadful.

Xander was welling up, he was sure to slap Evalder off her high horse quite soon, comparing them two like they were actually the same person.

"_Anya came back wrong, something isn't right but she's brave and your going to wake her up for us_" He was very sure what he wanted.

Evalder's eyebrows may have raised, but the calm swiftness of her walk showed she was not to be feared, but to be thanked. Her hand poised and lurched above the deep blood full cuts scraped into the dusty fragments of the poor women's cheeks, arms and neck.

Anya's eyebrows began to continuously bounce up and down, her fists clenched and tense followed by the innocent groan breaking free from her small ruby red lips. Electric blue flows zapped in and out of her glossy eyes: Anya was awake.

"She's awake, she's actually alive" Buffy commented, utterly surprised by the actual existence of resurrection being a success, except it wasn't. Anya's lip was shivering, her arms trembled as she lifted herself upright on the collapsing sofa, she looked exactually like she had the day they saved except for the scars and dust and sadness.

She rubbed her hand over her shoulder, revealing the deep scar underneath: different from the others. Tracing the cut with her fingers she showed how it ran straight across her whole body, shoulder to waist.

"**Honestly, why settle being human, if you'd been in demon form that wouldn't even cause so much as a prick of pain, let alone death." **Death, that's the thanks she got for saving the world, but then again apart from them - who would know the world actually needed saving. As soon as Evalder had spoke Anya had raised her head, her eyes pinned to the strangeness of her face like she wasn't used to being spoken too.

"_You…" _was all the damaged Anya could say, she was still staring around the room in utter surprise, her eyebrows forced into confusion once she glanced upon a photograph on the wall.

Willow's sensitive side shone as she crept to Anya's side, she gently wiped her scars with a damp clothe fetched as soon as they'd arrived. Suddenly, Anya shuddered, and shrank away towards the door, failing to reach the handle, she dropped to the ground. Sitting in a small lump on the floor she was still staring at the photograph.

"Anya, are you ok? Your home now, me and Dawn brought you back from hell remember?" Shaking his lost lovers shoulders, Xander traced her eyes direction ending at the photo, he had to pause for a minute to think, but once he'd stood up he had realised the meaning to this weirdness.

"_Photograph on wall, too many people, why are they there…" _Anya gave her opinion, words of a mad man of what she'd used, perhaps…

All eyes situated against the wall on that one small photograph, an old one, but still valid. The reason of why it was in Giles house weren't too clear. In the photograph stood eight happy and content friends, if you didn't know the group you'd say they were family. Giles, Willow, Buffy, Dawn, Xander, Tara, Spike and Anya, sat hand in hand on a sunny day at Scarborough inside the now hypnotic photograph.

"_Too many dead_" Anya retorted.


	11. Conversation

**Chapter Eleven - Conversation**

Where is everything? The torturers, the steaming pits of blood? Why am I in a cave? Anya had remembered how to think, but couldn't control the why's and where's. Although all she could see was the blurred vision of a cave, she'd worked out that she was finally being resurrected. Memory after memory had been flooded slowly through to her mind; she started to remember everything in her life, even the really unimportant things. But, as quickly as they came. They left.

It was 8pm, the brand new 'TV time' where'd they gather in front of Giles small inch screen and view any movie or program they wanted, although it was more like a time to socialise and eat the entire contents of the fridge. They all knew what they were missing, but right now the only thing that mattered was Anya.

"You can't control a dormant slayer you know, she'll only last for a couple of-" Anya was interrupted by the sudden slam of wood and flower pots. Giles rushed into the room,

"I can't find her anywhere". Everyone had there turn, searching for the mysterious witch who'd appeared earlier that day, but none had reached success. Still gripping the edge of the sofa and peering at only the worried figure of the slayer, Anya couldn't control what she was saying or when she'd say it.

"Thinks she's special, I wasn't tortured that bad, just a little while she was gallivanting around heaven or course, just my luck." Each distant word forced out of her mouth like the rejection of raw syrup. The only thing Xander could do was grip onto her hand and wash the deep slits in her face calmly with a damp clothe- Willow had decided to check the spell instead. Although Buffy was the only other person in the group to ever be resurrected, she felt as far away from Anya than anyone else.

"_What's she saying? Why won't she stop staring at me_" She questioned. Ever since the disappearance of Evalder, they'd been left to wonder about Anya's condition and the strange origin of the witch: alone. Even though his reputation of being an incredibly clever man, Giles had to pause a moment to think of an answer.

However, Xander had already thought of this. "Because you've been resurrected too? Because she keeps babbling on about slayers? Because she'll never be the same again!" The last comment unleashed the stress, anxiety and despair inside his restless body, he lurched from the comfort of his lover and retreated to the privacy of his room. Just moments after his exit, tear after tear dropped and thrived from the red worn eyes upon Anya's distressed face. She was defiantly crying, but there was no sound or expression to indicate it- just tears.

"they used to say the prince will always find his princess; dead or alive" Too anyone but Buffy, this was just another strange statement from the lost resurrected soul, but Buffy knew deep down that she was talking about Xander not being able to find her before making a speedy exit from the swallowed town of Sunnydale.


	12. Spells, thralls and witch craft

**Chapter twelve - Spells, thralls and witch-craft**

No one dared to see if Xander was alright, he'd already thrown twelve slices of toast and seven glasses of wine out the window, it's not that he was annoyed or ungrateful at them; he was annoyed at Anya. Recently, he'd gave up on him and Anya ever being together again after leaving her at the alter, but moments before the end of the world, a short spark of luck and anya was his again. But maybe that's all it was - a short spark of luck.

Although she'd been lumbered with Anya-sitting duty, Buffy had continuously sped back and fourth from Anya to Xander. Their eye's gave off the same shade of grey, their body posture revealing the same feeling of regret, but of course when Buffy had tried to show them- they were already in their own little world of grieving.

Each time Buffy swivelled into the deserted living room, Anya's deep pupils danced and curved their way to Buffy's gentle face, racing around the curves and edges of her chin. But, every time she'd try to start conversation all Anya could do was stare.

"Anya? Are you actually ok, do you need something?" This came as a surprise to both of them, although Anya had been in the living room for about an hour, no one had thought of asking her if she needed anything, asked how she was feeling…

Giles had been here before, apart from the layout the shop was pretty much the same as the one he used to own in Sunnydale. Rows and rows of tall intimidating candles, deep shades of blood dried red to sun pricked yellow. Each chunk of wax positioned in just the right place for the perfect atmosphere, unholy scents and shots of wind flew and twirled around the fortress of a beautiful young women behind the counter, she lifted her hand, gentle as a fairy spreading a generous amount of dust across the balanced floor, which was in fact what she was doing. Noticing the sudden attention; she spoke with a tune of blissful notes played by a harp of perfect tuning,

"May I help you?" was all she said, but just enough to enthral Giles from the comfort of his own little world.

Meanwhile, Buffy hadn't meant to take this long just to get a drink of water, the taps weren't exactually working at their best and the glasses seemed to appear gone. Once she'd delicately filled the empty cup holder for Anya she rested upon the open spaced carpet. For once, Anya's eyes was staring into the glass- not at Buffy. However, that wasn't enough to stop the mumbling.

"_You're the first one to ask how I am, thank you Buffy. I feel we've never really gotten on very well, not arguing but never meeting eye to eye," _this time Anya had made perfect sense, perhaps she was getting better and more at ease. She'd heard exactually what Anya had said, but wasn't completely sure how to answer her, trying to make her feel as comfortable as possible she replied with a simple,

"yes, you're right." Slowly, the glass returned to the safe coverage of the holder, Anya's mouth opened slightly giving speech a clear exit but before she had chance to speak, the door opened and the sound of horses trampling through a open desert, echoed through the towering building, Anya stood up sharply and scrunched up in front of the window sill at the end of the living room, Buffy remembered how cautious she was when she had recently been resurrected.

As soon as the sound had reached the door of the mini house library, Willow rushed and clambered to the bottom of the stairs, only to find Giles buried under a colony of chunky waxed candles. Looking closely, each candle had the same name and price and each candle appeared just as un important as the rest.

"Care to explain?" she gestured. Today had been more or less uneventful but judging by the lop sided snapped glasses perched onto is head, this was no ordinary magic shop in town. Just in time, Buffy examined one of the candles,

"Green grass scented, used for magic, £10... Is that a lot of money?" She read aloud. No matter how many lessons and books that had been forced upon them, they still couldn't figure out the difference between American dollars ($) to English pounds (£), well apart from Willow.

"£10! What were you thinking? You must of spent a fortune" Stated the extremely clever witch, Willow. Suddenly, Giles began to shake his head drastically, he gave each of them a stare and began to weep,

"The girl behind the counter, she was too persuasive, she said if I bought 100 £10 candles, she'd give me a 'special customer' card, with her signature!" He explained. Witch craft was the only real explanation, Willow could see the hidden look of shame inside the bold corners of the poor man's face. He lowered his head and gave his usual 'let's sort everything out speech',

"Someone, Is messing with us, someone most likely being Evalder that dreadful witch, although if not, the girl behind the counter" As he said the last line, his eyes became a sudden pool of thrall: Giles had been the obvious victim of a deep enchantment, but why would any witch waist such a spell just for Giles to buy a thew candles? More importantly, why would they want _Giles?_


End file.
